This Complex Life

ADHD is often misunderstood, especially in therapy. In this episode of This Complex Life, I talk with ADHD coach Ron Souers about what happens when therapy meets the realities of living with ADHD.

We explore what it means to understand ADHD beyond the label, how it impacts emotions, relationships, and self-worth, and why self-compassion and curiosity make all the difference.

You’ll hear about:

• The emotional side of ADHD (and how g...

ADHD can bring creativity, energy, and passion, but it can also make everyday life feel chaotic or overwhelming.

In this episode of This Complex Life, I talk with Ron Souers, ADHD coach and host of Don’t Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD. We explore how understanding your ADHD brain can turn struggle into strength, and how self-compassion plays a huge role in that process.

You’ll hear about:

• Why ADHD is more than distraction or forgetfuln...

We all like to think of ourselves as grown-ups, but what does it really mean to grow yourself up? And how does that shape every relationship you have at home, at work, and with the people you love most?

In this encore episode, I’m joined by Dr Jenny Brown, author of Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring Your Best to All of Life’s Relationships. We explore what maturity actually looks like in practice, why we can’t change others without ...

Does it ever feel like your teenager just doesn’t hear you?

You remind them about chores, offer advice, try to connect  and all you get back is silence, an eye roll, or a quick “whatever.”

In this encore episode, I unpack one of the biggest frustrations parents face: why teens seem to tune parents out and what’s really going on beneath the surface.

You’ll hear about:

• Why advice often makes teens shut down
• How to shift from “fix...

As kids grow into teens, they start to need more independence, and for many parents, that shift can feel like rejection. When your child pulls away, stops talking, or wants less of you, it’s easy to take it personally.

In this encore episode of This Complex Life, I unpack why this happens, what it means for your relationship, and how you can respond in ways that protect connection instead of widening the gap.

We’ll explore:

• Why pa...

Rejection stings,  whether it’s a friend pulling away, not getting the job, being ghosted, or a partner feeling distant. Our brains don’t like ambiguity, so they fill in the blanks with painful stories about not being good enough, smart enough, or lovable.

In this encore episode, I explore:

• Why rejection hurts so much and how it’s linked to survival wiring
• The ways we often respond, withdrawing, lashing out, or people pleasin...

It can feel heartbreaking when your teenager pulls away, shows little interest in your life, or seems dismissive of family connections. This is a common experience for many parents,  and while it can feel personal, it’s often just part of healthy adolescent development.

In this episode, I talk through what’s happening for teens at this stage, and what parents can do to stay connected without pushing their kids further away.

You’...

Have you ever had a reaction that felt bigger than the situation? Maybe your partner forgot something small, and suddenly you felt worthless. These moments often have roots in our past.

In this episode of This Complex Life, I sit down with Tamera Broughton to talk about how our unmet childhood needs show up in adult life, relationships, and emotional reactions. We explore how trauma is more than big, obvious events, it can also be t...

Friendships are some of the most important relationships we have, but they’re also one of the easiest to neglect. In this episode of This Complex Life, I’m joined by Steph Clarke, futurist, facilitator, and author of How to Friend, to explore whether we’re really facing a loneliness epidemic, how friendships evolve as we age, and why maintaining meaningful connections takes intention.

We talk about:

• Why friendships can feel harder...

Affairs can devastate a relationship, leaving couples questioning everything they thought they knew about each other. In this episode of This Complex Life, I sit down with couples therapist Andrea Dindinger to talk about healing after betrayal, the slow process of rebuilding trust, and the courage it takes to move forward. 

We unpack why affairs happen, what betrayal does to relationships, and how couples can recover together o...

When suicide is mentioned, the room often goes quiet. The heaviness of the topic shows how much fear and stigma surround it, but also how important it is to talk about.

In this solo episode of This Complex Life, I explore the silence around suicide, why the subject feels so confronting, and the impact it has not only on families and communities but also on practitioners who sit with these stories.

You’ll hear about:

• Why suicide is s...

Therapy is often described as a safe and healing space, but that’s not always the reality. In this episode of This Complex Life, I sit down with Carrie Wiita, adjunct professor, consultant, and creator of Interpersonal Branding, to explore what bad therapy can teach us about being better therapists and more empowered clients.

We talked about what happens when therapy misses the mark, why repair skills are crucial, and how both thera...

Lessons learned from Very Bad Therapy. The Very Bad Therapy podcast has changed the way I think about therapy and the stories we do and do not tell. This episode is a replay from Inside Social Work with hosts Ben and Carrie.

I loved this podcast and I learned so much from listening to it. It speaks to both therapists and non therapists, and it fits perfectly with the theme of This Complex Life. Therapy is difficult, messy, and compl...

Have you ever had a fight with your partner that started over something small but somehow turned into a huge blow up? It’s rarely about the dishes, the bills, or who walked the dog. The way we argue matters more than the content of the fight.

In this solo episode, I talk about the four relationship habits that John and Julie Gottman call the “Four Horsemen”  patterns of conflict that predict relationship distress and even separ...

It doesn’t usually happen with one big fight. Most couples who find themselves feeling distant say it crept up slowly. Busy schedules, kids, work, distractions and one day you realise you’re living more like housemates than partners.

In this episode of This Complex Life, I talk about why couples drift apart, what research tells us about disconnection, and the small everyday actions that keep love alive.

I share:

• Why disconnection ...

Have you ever tried to explain what’s wrong in your relationship, only to be told you’re overreacting, imagining it, or making it up?

In this episode of This Complex Life, I’m talking about Cassandra Syndrome,  the experience of feeling unheard, dismissed, or invisible in your own reality. While it’s often linked to partners of people with autism, ADHD, or other neurodivergence, the truth is it can show up in any relationship d...

What if your dream job stopped feeling like a dream? What if suicide prevention strategies missed the voices of those who know it best? And what if modern masculinity was being reshaped right in front of us?

In this Weekly Wrap, I explore three powerful stories making headlines in mental health and relationships. From rethinking passion at work, to placing lived experience at the heart of suicide prevention, to conversations about m...

What emotional relationships with chatbots reveal about loneliness, safety, and the fear of real intimacy

Someone recently said their AI companion understands them more than their actual partner. That it listens, responds with care, and never judges. For them, it felt like love. But is it?

In this episode of This Complex Life, I’m looking at the growing number of people forming emotional connections with chatbots. Some call it compan...

AI affairs, vanishing therapy clinics, and phones before age 13

Cheating with a chatbot. Therapy clinics shutting almost overnight. And new research on what smartphones are doing to young people’s mental health. These stories aren’t just news headlines. They are real issues showing up in therapy sessions and kitchen table conversations.

Here’s what stood out this week:

Chatbots and cheating

More people are forming emotional bonds with ...